Sukisho Fan Fiction ❯ 10 years ❯ Chapter 3 ( Chapter 3 )

10 years

 

By Sapadu

 

A/N: If anyone wants to know what Nakou-chan looks like, I uploaded a doll of her at deviantart(dot)com. Here's the IRL: http://www.deviantart.com/deviation/54197280/

 

Again, I'm a college student who's starving and homeless- don't sue me.

 

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"So, it's an arranged marriage, then..." Sora asked, not looking at Sunao, whom was also looking the other way.

 

"Yes, Hashiba- arranged." Sunao repeated, looking annoyed that the blue-haired idiot seated next to him hadn't gotten it the first time it was said.

 

Sora cast his old friend a look before glancing away.

 

"Demo... It just seems... the Fujimori I remember... wouldn't settle into something like this..." Sora muttered, which earned him a very vicious glare, before Sunao burst out.

 

"Maybe I'm not the Fujimori you remember, Hashiba! I'm not your property- I'm allowed to change, or are you saying that because we were together for four months, you get to tell me what I can and cannot do?" He snapped, which made Sora jump backwards- more from the venom in Sunao's voice than the words spoken- before he looked away again.

 

"...Gomen... Fujimori..." He mumbled, and it didn't sound sincere, even to his own ears, "....'Kedo... I can't imagine that you would willingly go along with... this... if you weren't happy with it... we broke it off because you weren't happy with me anymore... so, why..." Sora asked, but it sounded more like an excuse than actually how jealous Sora felt at the moment. Sunao still wasn't looking at him.

 

"... I'm not unhappy, Hashiba... Nakou-chan... she's been a very good friend, in the time that I've known her..." Sunao explained, still not meeting Sora's eyes, "Her parents want her to get married, because they think she's the right age... someone at work thought we'd be a good match and passed my name along... and we've... gotten along, well enough.

 

"Sometimes... Nakou-chan reminds me a lot like you... when we were kids... and other times, like Matsuri-chan... and then other times, like Nii-chan and Nanami-sensei... I feel like I'm at home again, and it makes... it makes me feel like... all the things which happened and that I did to everyone... as though they never happened... or haven't happened yet..." Sunao was staring firmly at his hands, still clasped on the table.

 

Sora opened his mouth to speak at the mention of that, before he shut it again.

 

"We're adults now, Hashiba... we've got to get over this sort of thing without Nii-chan and Nanami-sensei treating us like we need to be taken care of... Nakou-chan... is mature enough, but also a good enough friend that... she makes it a bit easier for me to forget." Sunao added, a firm edge coming to his voice, and Sora had a feeling that Sunao was thinking something that he wasn't saying.

 

"So... you don't need to worry about if I'm happy- dekurasai..." Sunao concluded, giving his old friend a small smile. Sora met his eyes for a moment, then looked away- something about that smile on Fujimori's face... seemed very out of place, like he was hiding something.

 

After a moment of wondering where the Matsuri-duo had gotten to, Sora looked at Sunao and finally said,

 

"I just wasn't sure how you were all these years. I heard absolutely nothing from you, and you'd been so vague about what you wanted to do after graduation... I didn't know if you'd gotten sick, kidnapped, or killed... I just didn't know what was happening with you and what wasn't..." Sora glanced at his former roommate, whose face was very auspiciously blank compared to a moment ago, "...Fujimori?"

 

"You're not my mother, Hashiba- don't treat me like a child." Sunao finally snapped. Sora's jaw dropped.

 

"Nandato? Fujimori, I was worried about you! You could have just said that I didn't need to! And either way, you broke your promise about keeping in touch, so it's not MY fault!" Sora fumed, standing up and flailing his arms while pointing at Sunao, who glared back.

 

"Don't pin it on ME, Hashiba- you could have contacted me first!" He replied, looking like he also might add in how it was rude to point.

 

"How could I when I didn't know where you were or how to find you?" Sora demanded, and Sunao's head snapped around like it was on a string.

 

"What made you so sure that I knew where YOU were? I'm not a mind-reader- I didn't know your phone number or address just because I wanted to!" Sunao demanded, and Sora's retaliation was stopped by Matsuri and Nakou returning with coffee.

 

"Na-a... did you get everything worked out?" Masturi asked, while Nakou handed Sora his tea and Sunao turned away.

 

"Only that Hashiba's still an idiot." He groused, before Nakou swatted his head with a napkin.

 

"Nao-kun, that's not very nice."

 

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"Hashiba, quit following me!" Sunao snapped as Sora's steps alternated with his. Sora gave him a look.

 

"I'm just going the same way as you." He insisted, stuffing his hands into the pockets of his sweatjacket- his old favorite black one with the red and yellow stripes... how it had lasted Sora ten years was still beyond him, before he perked up, "Hey, why don't you come over to Nii-chan and Nanami-chan's place for dinner? I told them I saw you and that Matsuri would be bringing me along to see you today... they both were really concerned and they want to know how you've been!"

 

Sunao blinked, looked shocked, then indifferent, turning away again.

 

"I can't, Hashiba- I've got work tomorrow and I can't be up late." He responded, icily. Sora reached out and grabbed his elbow before Sunao could run away.

 

"It won't be THAT late- and I can bug Nii-chan to drive you home if you live too far away." Sora urged, tugging at Sunao's arm much like a child begging his mother for candy would. Sora could have sworn he heard his former roommate sigh, and then heard his response.

 

"Iyou... Just let me go back to my apartment and change clothes." Sunao sounded thoroughly worn out- but, then, Matsuri and Nakou had done nothing but tease him all afternoon, so it was no surprise. Sora let go of his arm and continued walking, too.

 

"Daijobu... I've got to change, too- Nanami-chan said he was making something special tonight!" He agreed, acting like a little kid once again as he approached the doors to the apartment building he lived in. Sunao stopped at the door.

 

"Hashiba... you don't have to walk me home." He said, distastefully. Sora blinked at him, then frowned.

 

"This is where I live." He grumbled. Sunao's look of distaste seemed to intensify, if that was at all possible, before he entered in and went to the elevator, with Sora on his heels. Their hands touched as they both reached to press the same floor button, both of them jerking away, before glancing at each other, then away.

 

"...Omae...You live on the same floor...." Sora muttered and Sunao made a humming noise that meant yes. They didn't look at each other and when the elevator reached the selected floor, they both tried to make the other go out, first, until, finally, Sora got fed up and stepped out.

 

Both men continued walking, more or less step for step, until Sunao turned in to his apartment, taking out his keys. Sora stopped, as well, staring. Sunao looked over his shoulder and glared.

 

"I'm not inviting you in, if that's what you're expecting." He snapped. Sora shook his head, numbly, before pointing at the apartment next door.

 

"We've been neighbors the entire time." He muttered, and indeed, the mailbox of the neighboring apartment read 'Hashiba Sora', while Sunao's mailbox was suspiciously blank.

 

Sunao stared for a moment, before darting inside his apartment and slamming the door in Sora's face.

 

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"I've found him... at last."

 

A/N: Next chapter- Ran will show up! And there is a lot of foreshadowing, which is actually me taking liberties with how Nao acted in the series, and the events in the later games, so, if you look for it, you should be able to figure out what's going on.

 

Translations:

 

Demo- But

 

Gomen- Sorry

 

'Kedo- (slurred abbreviation of 'Dakedo') But still...

 

-dekurasai- A polite suffix to sentences when requesting something; equivalent to 'if you please'

 

Nandato?- What the hell? (something which Sora seems to say a lot when he's confused and angry)

 

Iyou- This is the best way I could figure to spell it, but it essentially means 'That's okay' or 'Sure, fine'.

 

Daijobu- Don't worry or It's okay (can mean either in this scenario, but also refers to when a person is injured)